Archives for October 2013

Hi Everyone, Benjamin Graham once said "Individuals who cannot master their emotions are ill-suited to profit from the investment process." That' a bit harsh given the events of 2008 and although emotions matter, a trusted advisor can help you avoid the "investor behavior penalty" discussed below. ~Susan Investor Behavior "A study by Dalbar underscores the importance of controlling emotions and avoiding self-destructive … [Read more...]

Hi Everyone, With the drama of the past few weeks temporarily behind us, I want to take a look at one of the primary reasons we continue to see strength in the U. S. equity markets. . . the Consumer. ~Susan Shop or Drop "Acknowledging the consumer's leading role in keeping the U.S. economy moving forward in recent years, revenue and profit trends within the consumer discretionary sector will be very influential on … [Read more...]

Hi Everyone, Many of you have asked about the U.S. housing market both in terms of investing and in terms of managing mortgage debt. I encourage caution with direct investment into sector for most. James Krapfel of Morningstar summed my views up well in an interview August 13th. Here's part of it, Susan Rising Rates & Housing "We cite three main sources … [Read more...]

Hi Everyone, At time of writing, parts of our government are closed and debt ceiling issue continues. Regardless of when resolution comes, I want you to remember that the effective governing of your portfolio goes on no matter what they throw at us. ~Susan Governing "The failure in Washington is disappointing, if not a surprise. However, history tells us it is not necessarily a bad thing for investors. The 16 government … [Read more...]

Hi Everyone, October is always busy and this one is likely to set a record. Due to political uncertainties, strong equity market performance and rising interest rates, there's no shortage of work. Sounds fun. Let's get busy, Susan Decisions In my perfect world, portfolios have been realigned by 10/1 of each year for the 4th quarter. The aforementioned have pushed this work back a bit and aligned it with annual tax planning. This is … [Read more...]